Robert L. Smith

Robert Lynne (Bob) Smith, 91, of 44 Woodcrest Way, Conklin NY and formerly Gouverneur NY died peacefully Saturday, December 8th at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton NY after complications from surgery. He was predeceased by his wife of 45 years, Margaret, November 2011 and will be buried near her at Calvary Cemetery in Johnson City, NY.

Robert was born on July 13, 1921 in Montrose PA to the late Lynne Smith & Irene Smith Foley. He graduated from Binghamton Central High School in Binghamton NY in 1940, entered the army in Feb. 1941 and served during WWII as a radio mechanic with the 20th US Army Air Force on Guam and Tinian Islands, where he earned the rank of Staff Sergeant by the time of his honorable discharge in Dec. 1945. He was awarded several medals in recognition of and gratitude for his service.

Robert was a member of various national and local organizations, including lifetime memberships in the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. In his prime, Robert was an avid hunter and fisherman who also enjoyed playing banjo and mandolin with various country music groups throughout his life. It was during one of these entertainments that he met Margaret, who eventually became his wife in 1966. They lived together in Conklin NY, while he continued a career at IBM Endicott NY, one of their early computer programmers, until his retirement in 1976. Following his retirement and after years of enjoying a cottage on Black Lake in St. Lawrence county NY, Robert & Margaret built a home together there in Gouverneur where they lived throughout their golden years.

Roberts only sibling, a sister, Beverly Palmer, of Binghamton NY predeceased him in October of this year. Surviving Robert are: from his 1st marriage to Mary Crawford Tyler, a stepdaughter, Noma Downs (& her husband Raymond Benker) of Lake Butler, FL and grandson John Bussa, of Edwardsville NY; from his marriage to Margaret Stary Howell, two stepdaughters, Rosalie (& her husband Richard) Pears of Sarasota, FL; and, Carol Lynn (& her husband Bernard) Sorensen of Conklin, NY; three grandchildren Jeremiah Sorensen, Eric Smith, Adam Smith (& his wife Stacey); two great-grandchildren Austin & Owen Smith; a nephew, David Palmer, & great nephew, Robert Palmer, of Windsor NY.

A memorial will be held and the burial for Robert at a later date at the convenience of the family. If desired, direct memorial contributions to: Disabled American Veterans, Attn: Gift Processing, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301.

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